As a truck driver I'll tell you that most of these semi trucks probably aren't trying to beat the train, but instead try to change gear as they cross the tracks and stop long before they realize any trains are nearby. This is a big mistake you've been trained to never make when trying to get a CDL.
I respect trains and treat them as if they are powerful creatures. Edit: I hope new technology doesn't make trains disappear one day. they are truly amazing
Thanks to my father who worked for CSX, he taught me safety at railroad and crossings. Even when the lights aren't out and the guards are still on, I'm still looking both ways for trains.
I grew up with trains running 50 meters from my house, and although they didn't run as often as they did when I was a kid, they still do. I've seen a lot of derailments. I miss.
I remember another video showing a near miss between a train and a truck, someone saying, "It's better to be five minutes late than fifty years early."
I grew up in a very small town built thanks to the Southern Pacific railroad. The Santa Fe railroad also shares track space, as does the Trona railroad. You would think that there is so much rail traffic in town, most people would understand that vehicles do not match a freight train. But no, it hasn't been a year when a fool was driven trying to beat a train. If they didn't die, they lost a limb or two. For those who haven't been hit by a train, few have learned that walking through doors is one of the worst traffic quotes you can get. The fine is about $1,000 plus a few points on your driving record. A few points is usually all it takes for your insurance to drop you.
